The present invention relates to load dividers and restrainers for vehicular containers that serve either to separate portions of the load within the container or restrain part or all of the load within the container. Most vehicles are specially constructed to receive various types of load restraining or dividing devices. One such special adaptation includes a plurality of horizontally extending "logistic rails" fixed to the sides of the container and extending fore and aft therein. These "logistic rails" include metal channels that have a plurality of slots therein. These slots receive fasteners that are fixed to the ends of bars or flexible belts that extend across the inside of the container.
The use of these belts or bars has raised serious problems in the transportation industry.
In the transportation industry, it is quite common to transfer loads or partial loads from one carrier to another carrier in the goods route to their destination. Such a transfer involves the unloading of one vehicle, such as a railroad car, and the subsequent loading of the removed goods onto another vehicle such as a semi-trailer. During such transfers, it is very common for the restraining belts or bars to be inadvertently, or sometimes intentionally through theft, removed from one of the vehicles. This is a considerable problem because of the significant cost of continually replacing the belts or bars which are normally assigned to a specific vehicle or container.
While there has been no attempt in the past to solve the problem of restraining belt and bar loss, there have been provided several forms of partitions or restrainers in vehicular containers that require some comment. One such retainer consists of a rigid wall mounted toward the rear of the vehicular container and swingable from a downward lower position to an upward loading position. For holding the rigid panel in the retaining position, a hydraulic jack mechanism is provided that engages the sides of the container. This structure is extremely costly, subject to constant malfunction, and difficult for freight handlers to operate properly. Moreover, the structure is extremely expensive and when damaged is very costly to replace or repair.
The Jeffrey U.S. Pat. No. 980,789, issued Jan. 3, 1911, shows a chain network separator for an animal shelter. The problem of belt or bar loss is not presented in the animal shelter environment, which no doubt is on a farm, and moreover, the horizontal chains must be aligned with the enclosure side boards to provide maximum load restraining capabilities.
The Falk U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,450 shows a flexible curtain that separates a container and rolls up for storage at the top of the container, but fails to teach any novel manner of attaching the end of the draw cord to the container side walls.
The Singer U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,599 shows an axially movable bulkhead for a refrigeration container, but the curtain is transversely foldable for loading and unloading and provides an extremely complicated and expensive structure.
It is a primary object of the present invention to minimize the problems set forth in the prior art.